Chapter 458: Chapter 458

“Kkeueueu…….”

Kang Ja-jung swallowed a groan and opened his eyes.

His head was ringing and hurting so much that he couldn’t even understand what had happened to him. Through his blurry vision, strange people could be seen.

Whether it was four or five, his vision was so blurry that he couldn’t even tell how many there were.

But one thing was certain.

That it was not his residence.

‘Where did the subordinates go? Why am I here?’ He tried to quickly roll his thoughts, but what rushed in instead was a severely rising pain.

“Kkeuaaaaaak!”

He let out a bizarre scream.

The sensation and pain of his fingernails being pulled out surged to his bone marrow.

The torture inflicted without even asking a single question was pushing Kang Ja-jung’s mind deeper and deeper into a pit.

“We were told to keep him alive, so we must do it in moderation. Don’t get scolded for no reason.”

“Don’t worry. As long as he doesn’t die, right. As long as he doesn’t die.”

The men chuckled.

Those in charge of torture even within the Lower District Sect.

They were people who would do anything to get information.

They had an excellent talent for inflicting extreme pain, and they also knew better than anyone how to keep a person from dying amidst such torture.

The man lightly pulled out another fingernail and asked.

“Kkeuaaaak!”

“Now, speak. Why did you kill that person in Beijing…… who are you and what about your family. Whose orders did you act upon…… you won’t be able to leave here until you confess everything from one to ten.”

He urged him to speak, but the man didn’t seem to have any particular thought of listening.

He merely pulled out another fingernail and smiled joyfully while looking at the one struggling in pain.

***

“Umm…….”

Hong Won-chang broke into a cold sweat and opened his eyes.

The moment he put the faces of those in front of his eyes into his mind one by one, he unwittingly let out a sigh of relief and smiled.

“I guess I lived.”

“You barely survived. If it weren’t for me, you would have died long ago.”

Seeing Hong Won-chang smiling powerlessly, Jang Sam-tae sneered.

Although he had an indifferent expression as if he had no interest in Hong Won-chang, he seemed to be one of the people who was more joyful than anyone else that he had woken up.

Whether Hong Won-chang knew that feeling or felt it, he opened his mouth with a small smile on his lips.

“Thank you. It was really dangerous this time. Haha.”

“Are you laughing, human? I told you to practice martial arts normally, but you don’t listen. Don’t listen.”

“Umm…… that’s a somewhat painful remark.”

Hong Won-chang nodded.

It wasn’t that he didn’t practice. At one time, he sparred with the constables every day, and even now, he was still practicing the martial arts he received from Dan Woo-hyun.

However, whether he lacked talent or it was too late, his skills hardly improved.

Even so, the fact that he was building up skills equivalent to a first-rate master could be said to be sufficiently great, and in the case of this incident, it was merely meeting the wrong opponent.

Not knowing such a situation, Jang Sam-tae grumbled.

“The next time I see you, you might be a corpse. Damn it…… if you don’t have skills, buy a decent escort with money!”

“Haha, I’ll think about it.”

Hearing Jang Sam-tae’s sharp words, Hong Won-chang nodded as if he would definitely do so.

He too had acutely realized the importance of an escort through this incident.

At that moment, the door opened.

The one who naturally entered as if knowing that Hong Won-chang had woken up was none other than Dan Woo-hyun.

He checked Hong Won-chang who had slightly opened his eyes, slowly approached, and sat down in front of him.

“You seem to be fine.”

“I c-caused you concern.”

“No. There are bound to be things you can’t handle with your power.”

This matter was not something that could be handled by Hong Won-chang’s hands.

Originally, the Ghost-Faced Demon capturing Hong Won-chang to attack Dan Woo-hyun was the trigger, so he did nothing wrong.

Rather, the one feeling sorry was Dan Woo-hyun.

Was it because of that?

He quietly looked at Hong Won-chang without saying a word.

Because that gaze was too burdensome, he unknowingly bowed his head and opened his mouth to break the silence.

“What happened to that…… person?”

“Are you talking about the Plague Demon?”

“Yes.”

“He is in the Lower District Sect’s torture room. By now, he shouldn’t look human.”

“The Lower District Sect…… you say?”

“Yes.”

Hong Won-chang frowned.

Since he was the culprit who made him like this, he had the mind to do it himself even if it was torture. However, since his body didn’t move properly, he gave up on such things and tried to pull himself together.

“Don’t think useless thoughts. The Lower District Sect will extract the information and hand it over to the Heavenly Dao Society.”

“But he……!”

“Won’t the Heavenly Dao Society negotiate with the Imperial Family on their own? You just need to receive what you must receive from them.”

“You mean…… receive something…….”

Hong Won-chang broke into a cold sweat.

He only then realized Dan Woo-hyun’s thoughts.

The bounty placed on the Plague Demon Kang Ja-jung was considerable. Even the Murim Alliance had placed money on his head at one time, so Dan Woo-hyun seemed to intend to receive that money even from the Heavenly Dao Society and the Imperial Family.

His frightening obsession with that money was enough to make one click their tongue.

“By the way…… what happened before you were caught by Kang Ja-jung?”

Hong Won-chang felt his senses snap back.

Instantly, countless things flashed through his mind, and at the same time, an unknown anxiety rushed in and struck his brain.

The face of a man came to mind.

The face of a person that gave him goosebumps and made his knees weak the moment he saw him.

It did not seem human, but like a figure beyond human.

Picturing that intense impression, something he never wanted to recall again, Hong Won-chang gulped down dry saliva.

But he couldn’t help but speak.

Because it was a question from none other than Dan Woo-hyun.

“H-He was a truly strange person. He killed all the constables and subordinates with a single finger and approached me.”

“…….”

Dan Woo-hyun and Jang Sam-tae looked at Hong Won-chang with serious gazes.

Hong Won-chang, recalling that time, was still terrified.

Where did the courage he showed when spitting at Kang Ja-jung upon seeing him disappear; he merely seemed to tremble like a rabbit standing in front of a tiger.

That was how much fear was engraved.

“I saw it the moment he touched my head. His face gradually…… started to change to look like me…… and it felt as if he was extracting my memories.”

“I see…….”

Dan Woo-hyun nodded as if he understood.

At first, when he saw the Ghost-Faced Demon in the appearance of Hong Won-chang, Dan Woo-hyun couldn’t feel anything.

It was so natural as if Hong Won-chang was truly right in front of him, and thus he couldn’t even have any suspicion at first.

“Whew, but it is indeed our Manor Lord! How did you know he was using a disguise art?”

“It wasn’t a disguise art.”

“Yes?”

At Dan Woo-hyun’s words, Hong Won-chang and Jang Sam-tae couldn’t help but be puzzled.

Changing into another person’s face is called disguise, but if it wasn’t that, what should it be called?

However, Dan Woo-hyun also couldn’t speak accurately.

It was somehow different from basic disguise arts.

It felt like he truly became that person.

“No, if it wasn’t a disguise, how on earth did you know?”

Jang Sam-tae asked with a dumbfounded expression.

Even if it was something else other than disguise, it was certain that he had seen through it.

Since even Jang Sam-tae was completely fooled, Dan Woo-hyun’s greatness must be certain.

However, Dan Woo-hyun’s expression wasn’t very good.

“It was the wind.”

“The wind……?”

“Yes…….”

If he had missed the faint sense of heterogeneity he felt from the flowing wind, even Dan Woo-hyun could have been ambushed.

‘That wind…….’

Dan Woo-hyun half-opened his eyes.

The wind with a very peculiar feeling flowing from the Ghost-Faced Demon’s body.

It was somehow familiar, so he could realize it.

Dan Woo-hyun knew a person who had such wind.

A person who was always by his side, chuckling with a pleasant smile.

Was it a simple illusion?

Or a coincidence?

His thoughts began to deepen gradually.

The Heavenly Martial Emperor was carving wood.

He was carving something using a small dagger, and when he gathered and set up all the carved ones, they seemed to symbolize someone.

Each and every one was full of sincerity.

Expressing not only the hems of the clothes but even the wrinkles engraved on the faces, it was to the extent that if only painted, one might think a real person was made.

“It is indeed beautiful.”

The Heavenly Martial Emperor admired it and fell into thought.

Soon, he looked at the carved doll in the very center.

That was none other than the carved figure of the Martial God Dan Woo-hyun. Beside it was a woman who seemed to be Nam Ju-ryeon, and also the figure of Tae Gong-jin, who had once deceived everyone and was with them.

Cheon Mu-gwang, whose life or death was unknown right now.

The carvings of these people were truly beautiful, and he thought they would sell for a considerable amount if put on the market.

Eventually, he placed the one he had been carving next to Dan Woo-hyun.

It was a child.

It was Dan So-mi.

“How beautiful is this…….”

Beautiful?

The carving itself was definitely beautiful, but the sharp gaze of Dan Woo-hyun seen in the carving was vastly different from now, making it seem like looking at a different person.

That Dan Woo-hyun he saw a thousand years ago.

A being full of killing intent who solely spread death.

Such a person’s gaze was looking at the carving of Dan So-mi.

No matter what happened, Dan Woo-hyun’s gaze looking at Dan So-mi would absolutely not be like that, but it was as if he was waiting for such a thing.

The Heavenly Martial Emperor flicked and stroked the carving of Dan So-mi with his finger.

Moving it around for a long time, he opened his mouth.

“Hmm…….”

What was he thinking?

Muttering such words, the Heavenly Martial Emperor recalled his meeting with Dan So-mi a very long time ago. He was smiling as if he was having a very pleasant imagination.

But soon.

Seureureuk!

The carving of Dan So-mi he was touching.

Starting from its head, it slowly disappeared without even a trace.

Powder fluttered, and before long, the figure of the carving did not exist.

“It seems there’s no need to wait any longer…….”

Saying those words, the Heavenly Martial Emperor stood up from his seat.

And he looked at the remaining carvings left vacantly with a satisfied gaze, then turned his back.

Strength was loaded into his steps, and soon the door of the residence where the Heavenly Martial Emperor stayed opened wide.

Soon, numerous people were seen in the Heavenly Martial Emperor’s gaze.

All of them bowed their heads toward him and showed courtesy.

Looking around at such people, the Heavenly Martial Emperor smiled satisfyingly. His incredibly reliable allies. They were people who had followed and worshipped him since a very long time ago and lived solely for the Heavenly Martial Emperor.

Looking at those people, the Heavenly Martial Emperor smiled.

“Let us begin.”

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